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What is Deaf-Blindness?
The term deaf-blindness refers to a combination of vision and hearing losses, not necessarily complete deafness and complete blindness. Most individuals who are deaf-blind have some useful vision and/or hearing. There is a wide range of cognitive and developmental ability among individuals who are deaf-blind. Because deaf-blindness is a combination of vision and hearing losses, no two individuals who are deaf-blind have the same profile.
Estimates indicate that there are approximately 40,000 people in the United States who are deaf-blind. A study by Teaching Research Division at Western Oregon State University has identified over 5,000 children and youth. It is estimated that this number could be as high as 11,000. It is generally believed that deaf-blindness occurs in one to two per 1,000 people with disabilities.
Individuals who are deaf-blind need early intervention to increase their understanding of and their interest in the world around them. The information that most children acquire naturally must be introduced deliberately and systematically to children who are deaf-blind.
Critical Factors
Four critical factors which affect the impact of deaf-blindness on the individuals and their development are:
- Age of onset
- Degree and type of vision and hearing loss
- Stability of each sensory loss
- Educational intervention provided
Impact of Deaf-Blindness
Of the six senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and kinesthetic or proprioception), vision and hearing are the primary senses through which we collect information. It is widely accepted that 80% of what we learn is collected visually and that approximately 19% is learned auditorally. When these two major channels for receiving information are compromised, it can have a significant impact on a child’s development in several areas:
- Communication and language development
- Movement and motor development
- Cognitive development
- Emotional and social development
- Body image and self concept
Vision is our key to exploration and mobility, to building concepts, and to developing social relationships. Hearing is the basis of the language and communication system that most people use. The development of communication skills, mobility skills, and social relationships are the three areas most impacted by deaf-blindness.
Definitions of Deaf-Blindness
There is no single, universal standard by which to identify a person who is deaf-blind. The Federal Government through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has defined deaf-blindness as “concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.
The Florida Statutes and Education Rules define deaf-blindness as having sensory losses “affecting both vision and hearing, the combination of which causes a serious impairment in the abilities to acquire information, communicate, or function within the environment”, or having a “degenerative condition which will lead to such a disability.” In addition to including progressive losses in either or both channels, this definition also covers peripheral vision loss, and other documented vision conditions such as light sensitivity and lack of contrast sensitivity. The definition also includes monaural hearing loss, and difficulty in screening out auditory background sounds.
The Florida Outreach Project has adopted the state definition to use as criteria for eligibility for our services. Upon request, the Florida Outreach Project provides training, information, and assistance to families, schools, and other agencies to address the unique needs of individuals who are deaf-blind ages birth to 22 years.
Contact Information:
Florida Outreach Project
University of Florida
PO Box 100234
Gainesville, FL
32610-0234
800/667-4052 or 352/273-7530
Send E-Mail: info@deafblind.ufl.edu